Love Like Jesus

Love Like Jesus is our worship theme for our celebration of the Festival of the Christian Home on the sixth Sunday of Easter, May 13, 2012. Our focus scripture is John 15:9-17.

“This is my commandment,” says Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.” Love one another by laying down your life. Love one another by abiding in my love. Love one another by being my friend. Love one another by bearing the fruit of my ministry of love.

In the history of our world, many mothers have died to protect their children. Countless others lay down their lives day by day in giving their children and grandchildren the understanding attention and support that they need to grow. And many also follow the example of Julia Ward Howe in trying to change the world so that no more sons and daughters are killed in war, but that “the great human family can live in peace”.

The love which Jesus taught and lived stands underneath and supports family love. In this service we will explore how to abide in his love and strengthen our families and even our world.

Here is a Call to Worship based on Psalm 98 as well as several resources for the celebration of Mother’s Day. Please feel free to use or adapt anything helpful to you.

Call to Worship   from Psalm 98

L: Sing a new song to God, for our God has done marvelous things!

P: God won an everlasting victory, right in front of all the people!

L: God’s steadfast love and faithfulness have won the day!

P: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Sing God’s praise!

L: Pluck the harp! Make melody!

P: Sound the trumpets!

L: Let the sea roar! Let the world rejoice!

P: Let the floods clap their hands! Let the hills sing joy!

 All: For God is coming to set things right!

        God will bring justice and create peace!

Thought for Meditation

Arise, then, women of this day!

Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy, and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own.

It says, “Disarm, Disarm!”

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice! Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as the means whereby the great human family can live in peace. And each bearing after her own time, the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

                 – The original Mother’s Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe

                                              after viewing the carnage of Civil War battles.

A Litany for Mother’s Day

L: God says: “As a mother comforts her child,

     so I will comfort you.” (Isaiah 66:13)

     Mothering God, today we give you thanks for our mothers

     and for all the women who nurtured us with your love.

     Hear us as we pray:

P: Thank God for mothers!

L: For all those women who taught us to follow Christ in

    faith, hope, and love…

P: Thank God for faithful mothers!

L: For every woman who is working day and night

    to raise her children right now…

P: Thank God for the mothers of today.

L: For the women who have passed on to new life

    and whom we miss dearly here on earth…

P: Thank God for the mothers who have joined God in heaven.

L: For the women who took in children through adoption and foster care…

P: Thank God for mothers with hearts so big.

L: For the women who have lost children to death and must carry on…

P: Thank God for mothers who are so strong.

L: For all the women who wanted to give birth but were unable,

     yet chose to mother those around them…

P: Thank God for mothers in spirit.

L: For all the women who have worked for justice and peace

    so that children will not be lost to poverty or war…

P: Thank God for mothers of conscience.

All: Mothering God, we thank you for the women

       who have influenced our lives in so many ways.

       We pray that we will honor them in everything we do. Amen.***

***The Litany for Mother’s Day was adapted from a litany by

       Peggy Emerson, copyright 2003, 2007. Published by The General Board

       of Discipleship, United Methodist Church. Used by permission.

A Responsive Prayer for Mothers and Families

L: Gracious God, you have blessed our lives with many miracles, but none more mysterious and challenging than the miracles of birth and parenting. This morning we pray for mothers and for families, giving thanks that your Spirit works ceaselessly in our lives to create love and understanding.

P: We also give thanks that in Christ you set before us a vision of a world that is a single family where each member is valued and respected, and where all live together in peace. Yet we confess that because we choose to separate ourselves from you, we often fall far short of this vision. And sometimes life events intervene to separate us from those we love, and to plant the seeds of fear and bitterness in our hearts.

L: So we pray for our families, asking you to surround them with your love, praying that you give strength to mothers who so often balance an incredible number of responsibilities and expectations.  Help them to find space to love and enjoy their children. Calm their fears and worries. Let them feel your Spirit working in their hearts and help them trust that you are working in the lives of their children, too.

P: We also pray for those for whom this is an especially difficult day. We pray for those who are mourning the deaths of their mothers and feeling their absence keenly. We pray for those who grieve because they were not given the mothering love and care that they needed when they were children. And we pray for those who want to give birth, but have not been able to do so. Be with them all. Strengthen them on this day when they may feel out of step with the rest of the world. Comfort their hearts with your eternal and creative love.

All: Finally, O God, we pray for the millions of families and mothers who live today under conditions of hunger and poverty, or violence and oppression. Make us indignant! Create compassion in our hearts and in the hearts of our leaders. Guide us to use our strength and wealth to protect the mothers and children of the world. Remind us of your special love for them. Save us from cynical apathy! Use us to be Christ’s servants. All this we pray in his name of love. Amen.